


Salt Water

by SnakeFeathers



Series: Small Stories, Tumblr Tales: Ask Prompts [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Panic Attacks, Post-Iron Man 3, Pre-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Recovery, a little bit shippy but could be platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 01:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3591381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnakeFeathers/pseuds/SnakeFeathers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes when he has an anxiety attack he can feel the water against his skin from where it had leaked through the suit at the bottom of the ocean. He tries not to think about it. He tries to throw himself into rebuilding the Stark Tower into the Avengers Tower. Steve's brief after-mission visit was a welcome change, but when he asks about how it went, he doesn't expect to hear him describe how he'd fallen into a river on the assignment.</p><p>He can taste salt water, now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salt Water

**Author's Note:**

> I started my own [Imagines blog on tumblr](http://imaginemarvelteams.tumblr.com) and I've decided to cross-post some of my fills here on AO3! I was raised on the 616 comics so naturally I've got a bit of stony in me, but I've never really gotten around to writing it. I hope you like this little drabble! I suffer from panic attacks, but everyone experiences them differently. Please head the tags if any of the content discussed could be a possible trigger!

It started in his chest, a bubble bursting near his heart that seemed to swell under his ribs with a thick constriction. His breathing hitched and his heart thumped loudly under the healing scars of his surgery, thundering in his ears and drowning out everything else. He wanted to bolt out of the room but he stayed put, his fingers digging into the edge of the cushion until the ache of the pressure edged into his awareness.

Steve was lounging on the other end of the large couch, only half in his damp, heavy SHIELD-issued uniform from where he’d stopped mid-removal to recount the mission on Tony’s prompting. Both of his gloves and one boot were abandoned on the floor, the padded Kevlar uniform top peeled away slightly where he’d neglected to finish unzipping it to expose his grey undershirt. His eyes were up at the ceiling, head reclined against the armrest, voice soft with exhaustion as he described in detail how he’d been knocked into a river and swept downstream.

Just _hearing_ about it conjured the specters of the Mandarin’s destruction of his home, so vivid and tactile he could almost taste the salt water on his tongue and feel it burning down his throat. Those terrifying seconds trapped under the rubble had scarred him so deeply he could only barely fathom just what sort of nightmare Steve had gone through in the sinking wreck of the Valkyrie. 

“… Agent Rumlow saw me hit the water, otherwise I don’t think anyone would’ve known where to look for me. I got lucky— _Tony_?”

There was no way to hide the visible flinch that ran down his body at his name. The urge to run was building fast and even though the logical part of him not drowned in panic screamed that he was fine, that he wasn’t in any danger, the animal instinct to flee was howling in his ears. He tried to smile, to say anything to change the topic or reassure him that he was fine, but he couldn’t get the words out or get the grin to form. With Steve now focused on him Tony just felt even more exposed. He watched Steve’s wary and confused expression drop in an instant, realization settling in on his features.

“ _Shit_ , Tony, I didn’t mean—” Steve sat up immediately, regret and concern both showing in his eyes, “I’m, I’m sorry, I didn’t even think— are you okay? Do you want me to ask JARVIS to get Pepper or Rhodey?” when Tony’s only response was to make an indistinct sound in the back of his throat and shake his head did the wheels start to turn in his head. “Can I… can I touch you? Would that be alright?” the remembered sounds of the water filling his helmet nearly drowned out Steve’s words but Tony nodded a hesitant ‘yes’. 

The urge to bolt was still at the forefront of his mind, but he focused regardless on Steve’s careful movements as he moved closer and reached out to gently press his fingers against his wrist before grasping his hand. He didn’t say anything else after that and just tightened his grip with a light pressure; a simple grounding point to try and ease him through the attack. It wasn’t the first time he’d had an attack in front of Steve and maybe that made it easier, but the warmth of his hand and feel of his uncalloused skin helped to cut through the cold ghost of sensation from the water.

Tony wasn’t even sure how much time had passed before he felt himself start to come down from it. JARVIS chimed a soft tone in his earpiece, a predetermined signal that the AI could read that his heart rate and brain waves were starting to drop back into his usual range. He’d subconsciously matched Steve’s even, calm breathing, his head spinning the slightest bit still from the rush of adrenaline and fear but the fog was starting to clear out.

Steve let go of his hand when he took a deep, somewhat-shaky breath, some of the coiled tenseness easing out of his muscles as the anxiety began to diminish and the memories faded. Still without speaking, Steve shifted so he was leaning against the back of the couch, a silent invitation, and Tony took it immediately, leaning up against his side. Steve had always run hot from the serum and he was quick to soak up the warmth. Words were always a bit jumbled and messy in the first few minutes of recovery so he didn’t try to speak, just focusing on his own breathing. He knew that Steve wouldn’t leave until he’d fully recovered, and that helped to put him at ease enough to just let himself come down at his own pace, no matter how long it took.


End file.
